Ex-Pro Baseball Player From Pace University Changes Game For Budding Stars

Patrick Stanley works with an athlete at Complete Game baseball and softball instruction facility in Allendale.Photo Credit: Contributed"It's important because people will add 'but' or 'if' or 'and,'" Stanley said. "No. If you want something, you have to go take it."Photo Credit: Contributed

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Painted on the back wall of Allendale's Complete Game in Bergen County are the words "I will." With a period at the end.

The period was very important to Patrick Stanley, a former professional baseball player who played collegiately in Westchester at Pace University, who opened his West Crescent Avenue training facility for all things baseball and softball in 2012.

The company that did the lettering charged him per character -- and he had to pay extra for that period.

"It's important because people will add 'but' or 'if' or 'and,'" he said. "No. If you want something, you have to go take it."

Stanley knows that firsthand.

Born in Ramsey, also in Bergen, Stanley played for Pace University before a seven-year major league career. He was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in 2004, and made it as far as AAA with the Detroit Tigers in 2009.

There were times he wanted to break down. There were times he wanted to quit.

There were times he said "but" or "if" or "and" after "I will."

"You can’t let a coach know your’e struggling mentally," said the former professional ball player.

"If you do, you’re like damaged goods — and it’s hard.

"You learn how to close yourself off and mask it but inside you’re getting eaten alive."

But now, Stanley is determined to change that.

In 2012, he opened his W. Crescent Avenue training facility with a simple mission: investing in the lives of his athletes.

Started with those two simple words: "I will."

"Those words are a complete attitude change," said the father of two, who has also lived in Hasbrouck Heights, Mahwah and Hawthorne.

For the entire 45-minute lesson, all of Stanley's focus -- and the trainers that work at his facility -- are on the athlete.

"They struggle with how to analyze how they did, and that’s a problem because they walk around thinking they failed."

Individualizing practice helps his clients with character development as both athletes and people, Stanley explained.

"A kid comes in and says 'I didn't pitch well because I let up five runs,'" Stanley said. "I'd tell them that they didn't. Five people scored, but there are a lot of factors that went into that.

"They struggle with how to analyze how they did, and that’s a problem because they walk around thinking they failed."

That starts at the lowest playing level, and it sucks the life out of the game, he said.

That's the most dangerous part about it.

"I don't know how many kids are going to make baseball part of their lives, but I want my instruction to have a deeper impact."

"I care about these kids," Stanley said.

"I don’t like to see people struggle mentally or emotionally. Nowadays it’s tough.

"Do these people have an outlet where they can deal with the things they're going through?

"I don't know how many kids are going to make baseball part of their lives, but I want my instruction to have a deeper impact."